


Before it's too late (again)

by AFandomLover



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Episode: s15e18 Despair, Fix-It, I swear they are gonna be the death of me, M/M, Post-Episode: s15e18 Despair, Season/Series 15, two dumbasses in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:53:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27527200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AFandomLover/pseuds/AFandomLover
Summary: A story about what could happen in the next episode.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 49





	Before it's too late (again)

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't intend to write Cas' return, it just happened. I just needed to have them be happy (without consequences) for once.

It’s been... he doesn’t even know how long he’s been here. He hasn’t moved from the floor since he saw Cas disappear. His brain is still processing everything that has happened. Death trying to kill him, Cas saving him, Cas’ deal, Cas’ confession, Cas’... _Not again. Please, not again. I can’t lose you again. Specially not after what he said. He loves me. He fucking loves me. And I didn’t- I couldn’t-_ He puts his head on his hands and continues to cry.

The phone buzzes again but he doesn’t even look at it. Sam has called three times already and he can find it in him to pick it up. _Fuck, I’m gonna have to tell him..._ He sighs and tries not to think about it, but he can’t get Cas’ face out of his mind. The way he looked when the Empty took him... _He looked so happy, so relieved. Like a weight lifted from his shoulders. I should have-_ He hears a noise coming from the hallway. It’s probably Sammy and Jack, but he doesn’t even try to get up.

After a few minutes he hears them call out for him. For him and Cas. He feels the tears fall down his cheeks again and he sobs. Sam must have heard him, ‘cause he opens the door and stops as soon as he sees him.

“Dean. What’s wrong? Where’s Cas?”

Dean lets out another sob and tries to speak.

“He- He’s gone”

“What do you mean he’s gone? What happened?”

Dean looks up and his face must be a mess, ‘cause he can feel Sam worry even more. He’s about to try to explain everything that happened when he sees Jack enter the room.

“It was the deal, right? He finally told you”, he asks with a sad look.

Dean looks at him in surprise.

“You knew?”

“I was there when it happened”

“What are you talking about?”, asks Sam.

Jack looks at Dean and he nods.

“Cas made a deal. He gave his life for mine, but the Empty said it would only take him when he was truly happy”, he says sending a pointed glance at Dean.

“It was me, Sammy. He- He said... He said he l- He loved me. Me!? How... After how I- I treated him terrible!”

Sam frowns and looks at him.

“Who else would it be?”

Dean looks at him with a puzzled look and Sam sighs.

“Dean, since the moment he met you he’s done everything for you. He’s always been there for you. Why does it surprise you?”

“Because. I’m not- I don’t deserve-“, he remembers what Cas told him and he knows he was right, he has low self-esteem, “Why... Why didn’t he tell me before? We didn’t have time. I didn’t have time. I couldn’t even tell him. He was gone before I could even process what had happened. He didn’t know...”

“I’m sure he knew, Dean”

“He didn’t. He told me... He said that what he knew he couldn’t have what he wanted”, he says as tears form in his eyes, “He thought that I didn’t...”

He lets out a sob and buries his face on his hands.

Sam looks at Jack and crouches next to his brother.

“Dean, listen to me. Right now you need to get up and we need to deal with Chuck. He’s the one vanishing people. We need to-“

“I know. Billy told us. Right before she tried to kill us”

“Then you know we have to beat him. And then, once he’s gone, we will bring Cas back. We’ll find a way”

Dean looks up and hugs him. Sam holds him and tries to calm him down.

“Dean, he knew. He knew you cared about him. Even if he thought you didn’t feel the same way he did, he knew you cared. And when we get him back, you can tell him how you feel”

“But what if we can’t- What if we don’t find a way to bring him back?”

“We will, I’ve done it before”, says Jack.

**: * : * : * :**

The battle is done. They won. Chuck is gone and they got everyone back. Everyone but _him_. Dean has spend the last two days in his room. It doesn’t feel right to be celebrating without _him_. Jack didn’t get his powers back, but he’s more important now; he balances the scale of the universe. He’s still trying to learn what he can do and how to control it and, with Sam’s help, he’s making amazing progress.

“Dean”, Sam calls at his door, “I know you want to be alone, but I need to talk to you”

Dean thinks about ignoring him but his plans are interrupted when Sam comes in.

“Dean”

“Leave me alone, Sammy. Let me just... Just let me be”

“Dean, Jack has managed to contact the Empty”

Dean stays unresponsive.

“He will bring him back. He’s gonna bring him back to you”

Dean still doesn’t say anything and Sam looks at him with worry in his eyes.

“I’ll let you know when Jack gets back”

**: * : * : * :**

Cas wakes up and he feels disoriented. He looks around and there’s nothing around, only emptiness. _The Empty_. Of course, but why is he awake?

“I swear to you, Castiel, if you wake up one more time I’m gonna make you suffer. This is the third time I put you to sleep”, says the Empty while touching his forehead.

“I’ll take him off your hands”

“Well, well. If it isn’t the fucking Nephelim. What are you doing here?”

“I sensed you had a bit of a trouble here”

The Empty looks at him and realizes what’s happening.

“It’s you? You are waking him up? Why? He’s mine”

“For now. But I know that what you really want is to go to sleep. So I’ll make you a deal. You let me take Cas back and we leave you alone. If you refuse, I’ll keep waking him up. For eternity. You’ll never sleep again. Your choice”

The Empty looks at him full of rage, but it knows that there’s nothing it can do.

“Fine! Take him. Leave and let me sleep”

Jack smiles and offers his hand. The Empty scoffs and flick his hand before it turns around and leaves.

“Jack? What- What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to take you back”

“But the Empty-“

“We’ve... come to an understanding”

He sees Cas’ worried look and smiles.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t make a deal. I just... I gave it what it wanted”

Cas sighs and hugs Jack.

“I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye. Everything happened so fast”

“I understand. You don’t need to worry. But we have to get back, there’s someone who really needs to see you”

Cas blushes and smiles.

“Let’s go, then”

**: * : * : * :**

Dean hears a knock at his door, but no one is calling his name.

“Go away, Sam!”

There’s another knock and he gets up and opens the door to scream at his annoying little brother but, as soon as he opens the door, he falls to his knees and buries his face on his hands.

“Hello, Dean”, says Cas as he crouches next to his favorite human.

“He’s not here. He’s not here. He’s gone. You saw him. You saw that thing take him away. He’s gone. He’s gone...”

“Dean, I’m here. Jack brought me back. I’m really here”

Dean looks up and he launches himself at Cas.

“Cas! How- I can’t believe it! You’re back!”

“Yes, I am. I’m sorry I-“

“ _I’m_ sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t- You- I love you, too! Cas, I love you. You left before I could say it. I love you”

Dean can feel his angel trembling and he leans away so he can look at him.

“Cas”

“Dean...”, says Cas with tears in his eyes, “I didn’t know... I thought you-“

“I know what you thought. It’s my fault. I... I tried to deny it. Push it down. I didn’t think you would feel the same”

“How couldn’t I? You’re-“

Dean quiets him with a hand on the mouth and a smile.

“Please, don’t. You said it all before... You’ve already said it. I’m not ready to hear it again”

Cas takes Dean’s hand in his and pushes it away from his mouth with a smile.

“Let me say this then. I love you, Dean Winchester. I never thought I would be able to say it out loud, but I do. I’ve felt his way for many years. You’re the most important person in the world and I will stay by your side, if you let me”

Dean doesn’t even try to stop the tears this time, he just takes Cas’ face in his hands and smiles.

“We’re both a couple of dumbasses”, he says while laughing, “I know I’ve never shown you how much you really mean to me, but believe me, I love you. I’ve loved for a while now. I was just too afraid to admit it and I’m sorry”

Cas turns his head and kisses one of Dean’s hands. Dean gasps and he can’t wait anymore, so he launches forward and kisses him. _Finally_. He had intended for it to be sweet and short, but suddenly he finds himself laying on the floor with a lap full of Cas.


End file.
